title: Drug-related problems: their structure and function.
abstract: In order to better focus the role of the pharmacist on patient need and patient outcome, a means of categorizing drug-related problems (DRPs) is presented. A DRP exists when a patient experiences or is likely to experience either a disease or symptom having an actual or suspected relationship with drug therapy. Eight different categories of DRPs are described and examples of each category are offered. This categorization serves a number of functions, such as: (1) to illustrate how adverse drug reactions form but one category of extant DRPs, (2) to make tangible the pharmacist's role for the future, (3) to serve as a focus for developing a systematic process whereby the pharmacist contributes significantly to the overall positive outcome of patients, (4) to bring to pharmacy practice a vocabulary consistent with that of other healthcare professionals, and (5) to aid in the development of standards of practice for pharmacists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Morley
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cipolle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Lamsam
mesh_terms: D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004358:Drug Therapy; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000145:classification*; D010595:Pharmacists
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations